Buyout for More Efficient Solar Panels from National Semi (NSM)

National Semiconductor Corp. (NYSE: NSM) is making a push into solar via an acquisition.  The company has acquired Act Solar, Inc. to expand its portfolio of power optimization technologies along with the acquisition of new diagnostics and panel monitoring capabilities for solar arrays.

Act is a privately held Santa Clara, California-based solar energy company that provides power optimization solutions for commercial and utility-scale solar installations.  It is a power management technology company and its flagship product is called the PowerString(TM).  It is said to improve the performance, operation and longevity of solar power plants.

National Semi’s SolarMagic(TM) technology enhances the efficiency and output of solar arrays when the panels are affected by mismatch issues including shade, debris, different panel types, and panel aging. The company noted that panel mismatch can disproportionately impact the output of a solar installation.   The company also noted that recent internal testing showed that SolarMagic power optimizers recovered 57% of power lost due to shade.  It also said that SolarMagic power optimizers begin shipping this spring.

Act Solar is noted as improving array performance by 6% to 11% using patent-pending technology.  It also noted that early field tests and historical modeling have shown that this solution can cumulatively add 40% to 80% more power over the operating life of a solar panel installation.

We did not see any dollar figures. National Semi’s market cap was basically $2.5 billion.  Let’s hope that after the recent plummet in solar company shares that the company didn’t have to pay what it would have paid a year ago.

JON C. OGG